CLAS-240 01 Intro to Classical Archaeology

For though the events of remote antiquity, and even those that more immediately precede the war, could not from lapse of time be clearly ascertained, yet the evidences which an inquiry carried as far back as was practicable leads me to trust, all point to the conclusion that there was nothing on a great scale, either in war or in other matters. [2] For instance, it is evident that the country now called Hellas had in ancient times no settled population…

Thucydides, Peloponnesian War

Definition

The scientific study of the material remains of past cultures, acquired primarily through excavation of those remains and their physical context, for the purpose of narrating the sequence of events in that culture and explaining those events.

Map of Late Roman Empire: Divided empire showing Constantinople

Map of Italian peninsula: Ancient City-names

City/town plan of Paestum (Modern period, dated to 18th c)

Relief sculpture: Detail from the horsemen frieze (N); from Acropolis, Athens, made of marble (Classical period, dated to 447-438 BC; now at BM, London)

“The Parthenon Horse Head,” sculpture: Head of a horse of Selene’s chariot. North end of East pediment; from Acropolis, Athens (now at BM London)

Drawing of temple architecture: View of cella; from Temple of Apollo, Bassae (Classical period)

Relief sculpture: Centaur with Lapith women beside Artemis; from Temple of Apollo, Bassae (Classical period, dated to 400-390 BCE; now at British Museum, London)

Person(s): Portrait of Heinrich Schliemann (Modern period)

Reconstruction of architecture: North ramp leading to central court, destroyed c. 1400 BCE; from Knossos (Minoan period)

Fresco painting: Coiffured Ladies; from Knossos, made of fresco (dated to 1600 BC)

Watercolor Reconstruction of Megaron; from Pylos (Mycenaean period, dated to 13th c. BC)

Tablet: Linear B tablet; from Pylos, made of clay, with inscription (Mycenaean period, dated to 1450 BC)

View of site of Paestum: View of the ruins from above